Malta Drama also brings the Prime-to-case

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat will retire in January from his post as head of government. He announced the step on Sunday. On television, Muscat said that his government's party, on 12. January should initiate a procedure for the election of a new Prime Minister. As soon as a new Prime Minister was determined that he would come back and also the office as head of his labour party to give.

on the Friday, at midday, the newspaper had reported "Times of Malta", Muscat had announced prior to Intimate his resignation plans.

Previously, had been members and Ministers of the ruling labour party (PL) bi an urgent meeting closed behind Muscat. In the case of the four-hour emergency meeting on Sunday, support for Muscat was, nevertheless, unanimously, said a participant of the AFP news Agency. The panel left it up to Muscat, when he was going to pull back. Up to the re-election of the party Executive Board, "he remains party leader and Prime Minister".

New evidence in murder case

The step marks the preliminary culmination of a chaotic week in which the country slipped into a deep political and constitutional crisis. On Tuesday, two of Muscat's closest Confidants, chief of staff Keith Schembri and tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi had already resigned, and Minister for the economy Christian Cardona had proclaimed to his office to rest. In addition, investigations against Finance Minister Edward Sicluna, due to money laundering allegations were known.

New findings from the investigation into the murder case of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia on may 16. October 2017 gave the impetus to the dramatic developments. Because you reinforced a dark, long-negotiated Thesis: namely, That the order to kill the inconvenient and fearless researcher, could have come from the government. To be more precise: from the office of Keith Schembri, the chief of staff and Confidant of the Prime Minister. Schembri was arrested after his resignation on Tuesday and interrogated, freely but came back.

This is fired since the days of the ongoing protests against the government. Last Friday, the angry protesters blocked several roads and requested that Muscat should resign. There are Videos with speech are circulating choirs "assassin, assassin, the Prime Minister is an assassin". Had been lifted up to the very last with all the force against the calls for his resignation and declared: "as Long as this is an ongoing investigation, I remain in office". Meanwhile, the discontent in their own ranks but was louder.

questions to ask in the abroad. On the Initiative of the green MEPs Sven Giegold, the Europe decided in Parliament, "to send in a hurry" a Delegation to Malta, which look to whether the state of law a member state to work in the smallest EU. There are doubts as to the independence of the judiciary. The "Times of Malta" reported that Muscat had the EU Commissioner for human rights, Dunja Mijatovic, in a letter that she had nothing to Worry about. The investigations in the murder case, were and remained "free from any political interference."

Now, however, it was publicized that Muscat knew about a crucial trail of the investigators for fifteen months know – about the alleged involvement Yorgen Fenechs in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. The entrepreneur Fenech maintained close contacts with Muscat's back depressed chief of staff Keith Schembri.

The investigators were to him so long on the heels, and Muscat knew it. This is important because Fenech had received from the government's large orders. He was arrested a week ago as he tried to flee in the dawn aboard his Yacht, allegedly on the advice of Schembris. Fenech calls for impunity in exchange for information about the murder of the journalist.

On Thursday evening Joseph Muscat convened the Cabinet rejected an Amnesty for Fenech unanimously. During the six-hour crisis meeting, it should also be come to a vote on the whereabouts of Muscats, in which more than a third of the Ministers turned against him. His resignation is reaching now a application process within the since the 2013 ruling Labour Party. In January, Malta could get a new head of government.

With Material from Reuters

Created: 01.12.2019, 20:37 Uhr